Ryou in Wonderland
by Mally-chan
Summary: Ryou hits his head while cleaning his attic (who cleans there? a neatfreak of course!) and Bakura rushes him to the hospital...but what is going through Ryou's mind is far stranger than any adventure imaginable!**COMPLETED!!**
1. Then there were wrought iron bedposts

Ryou poked his head into the attic and looked around. "Oh my...what a mess...I haven't been up here in ages!" He said climbing all the way up into the dusty room. Bakura peeked in as well. "What are you doing?" He said eyeing all the stuff. "Cleaning yami, it's dirty." Ryou said inspecting the dust. "And from the look of it, I'll be up here all day." Ryou stretched to reach a particularly high box off of a shelf. "Father shouldn't have had these piled so high!" He grunted getting up onto his tiptoes to brush the side of the box.  
  
Bakura jumped when he heard a loud THUNK from the attic. "Oh no..." He ran over to the ladder. "Ryou?! You ok up there?" He shouted up before climbing up himself. Ryou was lying on the floor out cold, a box next to him suggested he had hit his head. Bakura stared for a moment. "What kind of nut keeps wrought iron bedposts in a box?!" Bakura picked Ryou up and carried him back downstairs, before calling the paramedics.  
  
Ryou groaned. "Where am I?" He said shaking his head and suddenly falling from a tree. "Wha?" He mumbled sitting up. "Ryou! Pay attention! How can I possibly teach you manners if you do not pay attention." Ryou blinked and nodded silently. 'Who is that? I don't even know her...' he thought as she read from a rather boring book that Ryou already knew by heart. "Its that simple." She said folding the book up and dusting her skirt, which Ryou noticed, was an old English style dress. "Where are we?" He said blinking. "Great Britain, don't be silly. I'm here to teach you." Ryou blinked. "Britain? I haven't been here since I was young...," Ryou said giving her a confused look. "Oh Ryou...perhaps I've tutored you too much. You've been here since you were a child." Ryou blinked again. "Come now...your clothes are dirty from your fall, we can take a break from tutoring to get you cleaned up." Ryou looked down at his clothes. He was wearing old style dress pants and a button up dress shirt.  
  
"I don't remember ever owning any of this stuff...," He said looking at his loafers (I loooove loafer shoes! *dance dance*) "Don't be silly, your mother and father bought it for you!" The tutor was beginning to get annoyed. "Dont narry about, we'll come back outside once you're cleaned up."  
  
Ryou looked at his blue dress pants and his white dress shirt. The tutor had insisted he take a bath and re-dress in more appropriate clothing for out-of-doors. "Do hurry up Ryou, we don't have all day." She said giving him a light push outside. "Yes, yes I'm coming..." Ryou blinked and followed her back to the tree. 'I don't really understand what's going on...but I may as well go along with it...,' Ryou thought before spotting something rather unusual.  
  
"Ohhh my goodness, my gracious! His highness will be angry with me! I'm so late!" Ryou blinked and looked up at a sandy haired teen wearing a red jacket, a headband with bunny ears and looking at a pocket watch. Ryou blinked and snuck away from the boring review of a book he'd already memorized. "Excuse me? Late for what?" The teen looked suspiciously like Jono. "I have no time to say hello goodbye! I'm late! I'm late! I'm late!" He said darting into the woods and into a rather small cave. Ryou blinked. He vaguely remembered such a strange rhyme...  
  
Ryou looked at the cave. "I know I probably shouldn't...," he said stepping in and slipping down into a dark pit. He blinked as he fell the darkness faded into a warm red interior, clocks and other such furniture hung suspended in the air. "Oh my..." Ryou mumbled looking at the clock and then to his watch. "My watch is off...," He said adjusting it and looking back at the suspended furniture. He blinked. "It's rather strange..." He said snatching up a teapot and cup. "I wonder how they float like that? He said going to pour a cup of tea, and noticing the lack of liquid in the teapot. "Oh fiddlesticks..." He said dropping them, and then watching them float back up.  
  
Ryou yawned as he fell. It had been quite a long time since he had began his fall. "Goodness...does this fall go on forever? I'm beginning to wonder if I've fallen so far, that I may be falling to the center of the Earth!" He exclaimed and leaned back to a reclining position in the air. "I wonder if my yami is worried..." He commented before yawning again. "I wonder what he will eat for supper...I know he can't cook...perhaps he can order out...I hope he doesn't charge up too large a sum...I don't have much money...," Ryou sighed. He normally had a large amount of patience and loved silence...but at the moment he really desired to converse with someone to make sure his yami was ok. "Perhaps I'm dreaming...yes, that must be it...," He said before he hit his head on a nearby cabinet. "OW!" He yelped sitting up and rubbing his head. "Perhaps not...," he mumbled still rubbing the sore area of his head.  
  
Ryou grumbled and considered yelling upwards or downwards of the tunnel for help. "This is getting rather boring..." He mumbled before he thumped onto the ground. He got up and rubbed his backside. "Well...at least THATS over with. I should never be embarrassed about falling down the stairs again. Nothing shall ever match THAT fall...heaven forbid yami ever hear of it, he'd laugh himself sick."  
  
Ryou looked up to the corridor before him. The walls were warped and the floor slightly tilted. It was almost like a fun-house room. "Goodness...someone must have done a horrible job building this place..." Ryou commented walking along the corridor before entering the only room. Ryou blinked. The room looked as though it were built to be lived in at any angle. Tables hung from the ceiling; a fireplace burnt warmly from the right wall and a sofa graced the wall behind him. Water faucets hung from the ceiling and water trickled from them to the far-left wall's drain. Ryou stared. "That's...simply amazing!" He said watching it. "Can't you keep it down?"  
  
Ryou blinked and looked down. A doorknob looked up at him. "Did you say that?" Ryou said kneeling down to face it eye to eye. "Yes I did! I've been trying to get a nap for ages!" Ryou frowned. "You don't suppose I could go through your door could I?" The doorknob let out a few chuckles. "'Fraid not, you're much too big." Ryou frowned. "Did a blonde haired man with bunny ears and a pocket watch pass through it?" He asked. "Why yes he did." Ryou frowned. "Then why cant I?" The doorknob huffed. "I just told you! You're too big! Why don't you do what the bottle says?" Ryou looked behind him, there stood a glass table and chair. On the table sat two bottles. 'Drink Me.' they both read. Ryou picked up the one on the left and sniffed it lightly.  
  
"Oh! Chocolate!" He said gulping some down. Ryou winced when something hit his head. He made a face. He had grown quite large and hit his head on the faucet that hung there. Water began running down his body and flooding the room slightly. The door grumbled. "The other bottle you dolt!" Ryou blinked. "Well pardon me, you're the one who said to do what the bottle said, you didn't specify which!" Ryou said picking up the other bottle and gulping it down. He yelped when he shrank so fast he became stuck in the empty bottle. Somehow, he had floated out of the small room and into a vast ocean.  
  
Ryou looked up and noticed a small bonfire. Things in this place seemed so familiar...and yet so strange. "Pardon me! Could you help me?" He shouted as the bottle crashed ashore and he crawled out. "G'day are you here to dry off as well?" Ryou blinked. "I suppose I could use a good drying off...," He said making a face and moving his dripping bangs. "Good! Come run with us!" A few animals were running around a particularly large stone, on which sat a teen in a sailor suit who very much resembled Haga, warming himself by a fire. Ryou blinked. "No...I don't think I should." He said watching a wave roll in and soak all the animals, who just continued running and Haga chuckle and continue to warm himself.  
  
Ryou wandered into the forest after that. "Ryou! Ryou!" Ryou blinked. "Yes?" He said looking around before spotting Jono. "Ryou! Honestly child! I can't seem to leave you alone for five moments before you wander off!" He scolded. "E-excuse me?" Jono shoved him into the small hut ahead of them. "Just get my gloves, boy!" Ryou blinked. "Fine fine!" He grumbled.  
  
Ryou wandered in the house that seemed to be a mix between Yugi's game shop and his home. "Now...where would I be if I were a pair of gloves?" Ryou mumbled looking in a few drawers. "Oh! Here you are!" Ryou said cheerfully pulling a fine pair of silken gloves from the drawer. "Ryou! Hurry up! I'm late I'm LATE!" The Jono look-a-like screeched. "Yes yes I have them!" Ryou said turning and tripping over a chair and falling over. "Ow!" Ryou sat up and rubbed his leg. "Ryou! Honestly boy, cant you do anything right?!" Jono mumbled storming in, snatching the gloves and running out. Ryou stared after him. "Oh for Pete's sake! I forgot to ask what he was late for...," Ryou said leaving the house. "Ow...my poor leg...," He said hoping he didn't get a bruise.  
Bakura frowned and shook his head. "Listen Bakura, worrying yourself sick wont help Ryou at all." Yami said shaking his head. "The doctor said he'd be fine when he wakes up." Yugi nodded. "When he wakes up." Bakura growled. "THAT'S the blasted problem!" Bakura shouted, before Yami clapped a hand over his mouth. "SHH!! Can't you read the signs in here?!" He said shaking his head. "It's a hospital! You need to be QUIET." Yugi nodded. "How about some food to calm your nerves? Maybe a drink?" Bakura scowled. "Maybe...I should just clam up." Bakura nodded. "Bingo." 


	2. Cheshire millionaires and teaparties

Ryou sighed and looked at the many signs hanging in the forest clearing. "Oh my...which way to go...?" He mumbled looking at a sign that read "This way" and then to another sign that read "And that" He sighed. "I can't possibly go in both directions...," Ryou said walking over to inspect another sign that read. "Go this way". "Are you lost child?" A charismatic voice cooed from everywhere. Ryou blinked. "Why yes...you wouldn't happen know which direction I should go do you?" A man with white hair and cat ears appeared, sitting in a tree and drinking a glass of fine wine. He looked suspiciously like Pegasus J. Crawford. "Well my dear, that direction is a good one...but then again so is that one. It all depends on where you wish your feet to lead you."  
  
Ryou blinked as the man gently scratched one of his ears, before twitching it slightly. "Oh...well I wish to go somewhere that makes sense." Pegasus grinned. "Then you would be wise to go where your feet lead you. Or perhaps you could pay a visit to the Mad hatter and the March hare. They are having a grand tea party." Ryou blinked. "Or mayhap you'd prefer to remain where you stand forever." Pegasus said as he began disappearing until only his head and his wineglass remained. "My goodness! You're losing yourself!" Ryou said trying not to stare, as it was rude. "Am I? You said you were the lost one." Ryou nodded. "I suppose that would be right...but I didn't mean it in such a literal way as you are!" Pegasus laughed and his head floated over to Ryou. "One may wish to hold one's tongue in this place, for you are sure to regret ill thought words." He said fading away until only his millennium eye remained, before disappearing. "My goodness..." Ryou said looking in the direction of the Mad hatter. "I don't know if I should...If he's MAD...then I really don't want to be a bother...but how can someone be mad and having a tea party also?" Ryou reasoned with himself as he walked in the direction that Pegasus had mentioned.  
  
Ryou stared at the MASSIVE table lined with many chairs. "A very merry unbirthday to you!" A Yugi look alike sung straightening a rather large top hat with "Size 7 1/2" label clearly visible. He wore a mismatched suit of yellows and purples. "To me?" A Bakura look alike, who was wearing a red shirt that was, unbuttoned completely revealing his chest, khaki pants, and bunny ears said merrily, taking a swig from a teacup. The whole area smelt of Liquor...obviously this tea was Irish. (^_~ All things are great Irish!) "Yup! To you!" Yugi chirped and drank some too. "A very merry unbirthday to me!" Bakura sang, face slightly red from the merry-making and celebration. Ryou stared. "E-excuse me...what is an unbirthday?" Both boys stared. "You have never had an unbirthday? It's a celebration of notbirthday!" Yugi said leaning back in his chair. "Indeed, a day of joy! Only once a year can we not celebrate!" Bakura added Ryou blinked. "What do you do on your birthdays then?" Both gasped. "SHH! Don't say such things!" Yugi sniffled. "It's almost MY birthday..." Bakura shook his head. "Now look what you've done!" He said shoving another teacup into Yugi's hands. Yugi downed it and grinned. "Is it YOUR unbirthday?" Yugi said grinning. Ryou shrugged. "I've never had an UN-birthday before..." Bakura smirked. "NEVER?" He said leaning forward from his seat. "Wow, you really must lead a mournful life!" Ryou blinked. "How about you celebrate now?" Yugi smirked. "C'mon take a seat!" Bakura said getting up and offering his seat to Ryou. "Um...sure thing." Ryou said sitting down.  
  
The singing proceeded and Ryou got thoroughly drunk. "Woo...merry unbirthday to meeee." He chuckled. "I think he's got it!" Bakura cheered. Yugi teared up and wiped his tears with his oversized hat. "It's so wonderful..." He sniffed. Bakura shook his head. "Honestly Hatter, you're so emotional!" Yugi put his hat back on. "Don't feed me that! You're so UN-emotional!" Ryou yawned and watched them begin bickering one moment, then making merry once more the next. "Say Hare, whaddya say we celebrate even more tomorrow?" Yugi said sighing contentedly as he filled his cup once more. "Sure thing Hatter." Ryou snapped up. 'OF COURSE!' His mind had clicked. "I'm in wonderland!" He blurted. Both boys looked at him. "No you aren't." Ryou blinked. "I'm not?" Yugi grinned. "Yes" Bakura grinned as well. "No." Ryou swayed a bit, more than a little drunk. "I am and not?" Both nodded. "Exactly not." Ryou slumped back to the table. "Heh...that's nice..." Bakura hugged Ryou. "You're such a cute little wandering thing. Might we keep him as a pet?" Bakura asked Yugi, tugging on one of his floppy ears. "Why not? I've never wanted a pet!" Yugi giggled and pounded the table with glee. "That's just horrible! Lets do it!" Bakura said hugging Ryou again.  
  
Ryou groaned and woke up that evening in the house of the hatter and hare. "Where am I?" Bakura popped up and batted at one of his ears. "Why you're not here of course!" He smirked picking up a bank and pulling money from it. "Blasted thing...it never seems to empty out!" He said pulling more and more from it. "Hatter! Have you been emptying the bank like you're not supposed to?" Yugi popped his head in the room. "Of course I haven't!" He said before leaving again. Ryou stared. "What? Do you WANT it empty? Or do you want it full?" Bakura grinned. "Exactly what." Ryou blinked. "You both are speaking nonsense!" Both nodded and Ryou sighed. "I have a headache..." Bakura pulled out a mallet from what seemed to be thin air. "Oh DONT let me fix it!" He said excitedly. Yugi peeked his head back in and nodded. "Oh yes do!" Ryou whined and lay back down on the bed. "I can't make heads or tails of what you two mean!" He mumbled rubbing his forehead and looking at Bakura. He was weirded out by the fact that he was so chipper...and wearing bunny ears! Yugi was perfectly normal...other than that tacky suit and hat. It was as if the two couldn't decide whether to talk in opposites or not...they just kept switching between the two.  
  
"Do you want some food?" Ryou blinked. "What can I say to get some?" Bakura grinned. "Whatever you want, you're simply so cute I cant help but spoil you rotten!" He said giving Ryou a platter of cakes and cookies. "But you have to tell Hatter, he'd simply HATE my spoiling you. He HATES pets!" Ryou made a face. "I'll...uh be sure to tell him then." He said picking up a few cakes and eating them. Bakura watched Ryou eat. "So what sort of creature are you?" He said as Ryou chewed. "You're not a hare...and definitely not a dog...perhaps you're a turtle or a mouse." Ryou swallowed and looked at Bakura. "Uh...No no I'm a human."  
  
Bakura blinked and one of his ears tilted to the side. "Human? Like the hatter then...ooh you humans are quite silly if you ask me, why just the other day hatter simply couldn't put those things you call shoes on." Ryou blinked and bent over the bed, noticing for the first time that Bakura was barefoot. "Why aren't you wearing shoes? You're mostly human looking too..." Bakura began tugging on an ear again, possibly it was a nervous habit. "Oh goodness me, no! They get in the way when I practice jumping." Ryou blinked. "You can jump higher than most?" Bakura nodded. "Why yes. I pride myself in my jumping skill. OH! What a grand idea I have!" He said picking up Ryou and carrying him out the window. Ryou blinked. "What are you doing?" Bakura grinned. "Why jumping of course!" With that, Bakura jumped up onto a pile of boxes, then onto the roof, putting Ryou down and sitting next to him. "I do think you are the cutest human I have ever met." Bakura said leaning against the chimney and looking up into the stars. Ryou blinked. "I don't mean to sound rude...but you aren't very much different than a human, other than your ears." Bakura huffed. "Just because I look one way does not mean I am that way." He said flicking one ear. "I know, I don't presume things by appearance...but you must admit that it is very hard for others." Ryou said looking up at the stars. Bakura stretched. "I assume you have seen many things here...I don't go out much, I just converse with the dormouse, he's seen the world." Ryou blinked. "Perhaps you should go see the sights yourself." He said looking at Bakura. "I could...but without me around, it's possible that I might miss who I am waiting for." Ryou blinked. "Who are you waiting for?" Bakura sighed. "Destiny" He replied. Ryou blinked. "Destiny? But destiny isn't a person." Bakura nodded. "It is a person, it is what you make it to be. I wish someday to become a great protector and dedicate myself to someone very dear..." He sighed. "But it seems that no one needs the protection of a hare." Ryou blinked. This Bakura seemed much like his own...only he spoke freely of his emotions. "I suppose you will leave tomorrow, wont you?" Bakura mumbled sitting up. "Well...I don't really know my way around...perhaps you'd accompany me?" Ryou said looking from the stars to Bakura. "I don't know...I wouldn't be much service to you...and the Hatter needs me to celebrate with...what's an unbirthday if only one person celebrates it?"  
  
The sun peeked over the trees the next day and Ryou yawned. He had fallen asleep in the bed Bakura had provided him, and was rather happy to have to push a rabbit ear from his face. "Awake so early?" Bakura said stretching. "Oh...pardon me." Ryou said blinking. "I didn't realize you were awake..." Ryou said sitting up and yawning. "I assume you mean to leave...it would be best you left before the Hatter returns." Bakura said sitting up and sighing, his long ears slumping down to fall just a bit farther down his back than his hair. "Well...I don't really know where to go..." Bakura nodded. "Then you should ask the dormouse. He knows all places there ever could be. Up, down, left, right and diagonalways." Ryou nodded. "Perhaps he knows of a way for me to get home."  
  
Ryou looked at the large teapot that lay in a clearing just behind the house. "Dormouse! Wake up you silly thing!" Bakura said shaking a small bundle of blankets in the teapot. A loud yawn was heard, followed by a small head popping out from under the blankets. Ryou blinked. The dormouse looked JUST like Mokuba, except there were two large mouse ears on his head, and he had slight whiskers. "Dormouse! Do you know a way for my friend to get home?" Bakura asked, jabbing the dormouse once more. Mokuba nodded and yawned. Clearing his throat, Mokuba began.  
  
"T'was brillig, and the slithy toves Did gyre and gimble in the wabe, All mimsy were the borogoves, And the mome raths outgrabe.  
  
`Beware the Jabberwock, my son! The jaws that bite, the claws that catch! Beware the Jujub bird, and shun The frumious Bandersnatch!'  
  
He took his vorpal sword in hand: Long time the manxome foe he sought -- So rested he by the Tumtum gree, And stood awhile in thought.  
  
And as in uffish thought he stood, The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame, Came whiffling through the tulgey wook, And burbled as it came!  
  
One, two! One, two! And through and through The vorpal blade went snicker-snack! He left it dead, and with its head He went galumphing back.  
  
`And has thou slain the Jabberwock? Come to my arms, my beamish boy! O frabjous day! Calloh! Callay! He chortled in his joy.  
  
`Twas brillig, and the slithy toves Did gyre and gimble in the wabe; All mimsy were the borogoves, And the mome raths outgrabe."  
  
Ryou blinked. "What?" But by then Mokuba had already fallen once more, into slumber. Bakura sighed dreamily. "Such a wonderful set of directions! You shant have any trouble finding your way with THOSE!" Ryou stared at him. "But I didn't understand a word of them!" Bakura's ears perked up. "Don't be silly! Its simple!" He said running into the house and looking for the hatter. "You must be off! He's coming back!" He said running back. "He will wish to celebrate once again! Unless you wish to stay here until we are unable to celebrate anymore then you MUST be off now!" He said his ears drooping again. Bakura had a sadness about him that made Ryou's heart twist into knots of regret. "You cannot accompany me?" Bakura shook his head. "I must stay to watch over the hatter, he's quite mad you see." He said smirking. Ryou nodded. "Things here all seem to be mad in one form or another...When I am quite out of here, I'm going to request a head examination." 


	3. Flowers and Caterpillars

Ryou bid Bakura goodbye and they parted company. Ryou sighed and looked at the many trees. "Goodness...its like this place never runs out of trees...," He said bumping into something as he admired the canopy. "Oh! Pardon...me?" He said two women standing there, glaring at each other. One clearly had DUM written on her blouse, the other DEE. "You always copy my ideas DUM!" One screeched. One looked very much like Mai, the other much resembled Anzu. "You're just jealous because I thought of it first." Mai said coolly. Anzu growled, before noticing Ryou. "Well whaddya want?! Just gonna stand there staring at us all day are ya?" Ryou blinked. "Oh my...N-no not at all...I was just..." He motioned to Mai. "See? Even he recognizes good taste..." Anzu turned a few shades of red before steam rushed out of her ears. Ryou stared. 'Goodness me...I should hope that she doesn't explode or take her anger out on me...' He thought as the two women went back to arguing. He started to sneak off. "Hold it right there!" Both said tapping their feet. "You cannot just barge in here and start up an argument, then leave on your merry way!" Mai said. "If you think that you must rethink your thought!" Anzu said agreeing. "You have to tell us which one is better!" Ryou frowned. "Oh...n-no you see...I'm a terrible judge of clothes...," He said backing away. In reality he knew what came of two angry women and a dispute over looks...there WAS no right answer.  
  
Ryou rubbed his head and sighed. "I knew there was no right answer...women!" He grumbled before sitting down on a log. "Huh?" He said looking up and seeing a few apples growing on a tree. "Oh! I'm starving! How wonderful!" He said getting up and jumping to snatch an apple from the tree. "It would be so much easier if the hare had joined me...he could have jumped and gotten me many apples..." Ryou grumbled trying to jump for another, before sitting down with his single apple and beginning to eat. "I suppose that he was right though...the Hatter did seemed slightly strange...and everything here is SO familiar..." He mumbled, not noticing his shrinking size, until he was only left with an apple core. "OH! No! I've shrank again!" He yelped throwing the remainder of the apple away. "I should shrink down to nothing if I don't watch what I eat here...," He said beginning to walk among the underbrush of the forest. "You should know better than to eat in this strange place Ryou, honestly!" He scolded himself. "You will end up smaller than a speck, shrinking to nothing and putting yourself out like a candle flickers out in a windy room, don't be a dolt!"  
  
As Ryou walked along the ground he bumped into a small flower. "Oh...hello!" The flower said giddily. It's voice was exactly that of Jono's sister!. Ryou sighed. "Hello..." He blinked after a moment. "Did a flower just talk to me?" He said looking over the flower a bit more closely. The flower giggled and nodded. "Hey everybody! Wake up! We have a new flower here!" Ryou blinked. "Who me?" The flower, more specifically a morning glory, nodded. "Yes indeed. You MUST be a flower to be in OUR garden!" A rose said, who's voice resembled that of Yugi's grandfather. Ryou blinked. "Oh...but you see...I'm not a flower...My name is Ryou." He said bowing slightly. "I'm just passing through." A gardenia leaned forward. "Hmmph...his roots aren't connected to the ground! I've never heard of a Ryou before..." It said grumpily. It sounded much like Yami Malik. A few more flowers leaned in and prodded Ryou. "Yes...that is rather strange...What is a Ryou?" They all chattered amongst themselves.  
  
A rather regal looking tiger-lily looked over Ryou. "Can you sing?" it said in Isis' voice. Ryou blinked. "Well...yes I can. But I dont like to sing for others...I'm terribly shy." The flowers all chuckled. "Then let us sing for you!" Ryou blinked, but agreed. They sang to him of the lovely colors of the sun and the great waters of the sky, asking him only once to sing with him. He sang a little quietly at first, shy of critisism...but after a few verses he began singing just as merrily as the rest. They all clapped when the song was over. Ryou grinned. "I never knew that flowers were such lovely singers." He said sitting down and looking at them. "You'd be a lovely flower yourself, if you had more petals." The morning glory said playing with his hair lightly with one of her leaves. "He's definatly got the voice for it." The rose said chuckling. Ryou smiled a little. "Why, thank you." He said getting up and dusting himself off. "How is it that you can move about so freely?" The tiger-lily asked. "I was born that way...I've never really put much mind to it...," Ryou said blinking. The jealous gardenia grumbled. "I bet he's a WEED!" Ryou blinked. "I'm not a weed! I keep a garden of my own and I hate weeds!" He grumbled remembering the pesky, thorny intruders. All the flowers gasped. "WEED?! Oh no!" They all said in unison. Ryou blinked. "Maybe he IS a weed..." They began chattering once more.  
  
"If he IS a weed...we cant have him in OUR garden! He'd choke us all with his greed and carelessness!" They all said turning to Ryou. "Get out of our garden weed!" They all shouted roughly shoving him left and right as he tried to dart out. When he reached the edge of the garden he fell forward and pushed himself up from the ground. "Goodness! I never knew flowers could be such poor hosts!" Ryou grumbled getting up and dusting himself off. "I will remember to pick a few when I get home." He said wishing he were taller at the moment to show then just how un-weed-ish he was...,  
  
It was now getting close to noon and Ryou was beginning to think he hadn't gone more than a few feet from the log. He smiled when he noticed a large mushroom patch. "Perhaps if I wish to be big again I should eat one of those...provided they are edible of course." Ryou said beginning to inspect the largest of the mushrooms. "Nothing bad underneath...now just to check the top. He said hoisting himself up onto the mushroom and meeting a pair of lazy eyes. Ryou blinked. "Whooo are you?" The eyes blinked at him, before Ryou hoisted himself higher to see that in fact, the eyes were connected to Seto...or at least a very close simulation. "Perhaps you should tell me...," Ryou said beginning to think he was going mad himself. "I am the caterpillar." Ryou stared. He didn't look anything like a caterpillar at all. Seto took a drag from a hookah, making smoke rings. He smelled suspiciously of opium. "Oh my..." Ryou said coughing a bit as the smoke rings hit him. It would take weeks to get the smell from his hair.  
  
"You wish to grow larger yes?" Seto said rolling his eyes lazily. "Why...yes!" Ryou said smiling. "You know a way?" Seto smirked. "I know a way." Ryou was beginning to brim with glee. "Oh how wonderful! I'm sick of being so small! Three inches is simply a dreadful height!" Seto glared at him "Three inches if a grand height indeed!" He yelled standing to his full height...which was roughly 3 inches. Ryou blinked. "Pardon me...I just am not used to being so small...I don't like being this way." Seto sat back down and took another drag. "Whooo are you?" He repeated. Ryou shrugged. "At this point...I think I have lost myself. I WAS someone...but I keep seeing my friends as other things...and I'm beginning to think I have lost my own identity in this strange place." Seto yawned and blew more smoke rings. "Who WERE you?" Ryou nodded. "I WAS Ryou...but now I'm not so sure..." Seto chuckled and stretched. "Well, 'not so sure' It seems you are confused..." Ryou nodded. "I am! Its mayhem in here...nothing makes any sense!" He said fanning away a few smoke rings. "You are the one who makes no sense. How can one not know one's own identity?" Ryou blinked. "Perhaps you're right..." Seto nodded. "Of course I am."  
Bakura sighed and sat next to his Hikari. "Ryou...can you hear me?...Its all my fault you're like this...I should have been up there to help you." he mumbled. "Just get better...ok?" He added sighing and leaning his head next to Ryou's. Yami shook his head and stopped peeking in at the two white haired teens. "I don't think Ryou's getting better...it's been two days..." Yugi sighed. "I hope Ryou comes out of it soon...Bakura's really beating himself up..." 


	4. The path to the King of Games

Ryou had finally managed to figure out the size changing problem and grown back to an appropriate size. "All mimsy were the borogroves...And the mome raths outgrabe." Sang the familiar voice of Pegasus. "Oh Hello again, find your way?" He said strolling along a path ahead. Ryou shook his head. "Not even the slightest..." Pegasus gave Ryou a mock look of sadness. "Perhaps you should go to the palace to see the king? He is very wise." Ryou blinked. "Although, he has a temper. Don't go losing your head...," Pegasus said tilting his ears to the sides. "My head?" Ryou said tilting his head to the side. "Why yes, the king is famous for chopping off heads. Don't you know the story?" Ryou shook his head. "Oh then I shall tell you." Pegasus said clearing his throat.  
  
"The King of Games, he had some cards, All on a summer day: The Knave of Games, he stole those cards,  
  
And took them quite away!"  
  
Ryou blinked. "Who was the knave?" Pegasus smirked. "Doesn't right matter much anymore...not where he is." He said motioning a slitted throat. Ryou stared. "You mean...?" Pegasus nodded. "Right you are! Good lad!" Ryou made a face. "Why would I want to see someone who has a bad temper, especially one so much as that!?" Pegasus sipped his wine. "Its all matter of playing the cards proper." Ryou followed after Pegasus. "Are YOU going to the palace of the king?" Pegasus smirked. "No, I've already LOST my head...heh...it angers him that I cannot be lose to him what I've already lost to myself." Ryou made a face. "Just follow this path until you get to the bush maze. Then once you pass the maze you'll be at the palace." Pegasus said fading away in mid-step.  
  
"I'm SO utterly late! The king will have my head for sure!" Jono screeched blazing past Ryou and running down the path to the palace." Ryou darted after him. "Wait a minute! What are you late FOR?!" Ryou yelled after him turning a sharp corner, and losing sight of Jono. "Good grief! This is rather annoying..." He mumbled walking down the path boredly. Ryou walked for hours before coming across someone sitting on the side of the road. He had a long lion like tail and ears and looked terribly like Malik. Next to him sat a double of Dinosaur Ryuzaki, who was wearing a hard hat and moving a small collection of shells. Ryou blinked.  
  
"Excuse me. Could you tell me how to get to the king's palace?" "Excuse me. Could you tell me how to get to the king's palace?" Ryou made a face.  
  
"Its not nice to mimic people..." "Its not nice to mimic people..." Malik giggled as Ryuzaki repeated every word Ryou said, and Ryou huffed...  
  
"You aren't being very mature." "You aren't being very mature." Ryou scowled.  
  
"Will you quit it!" "Will you quit it!"  
  
Malik giggled again. Ryou got an idea. "I'm a little tea pot, short and stout...," he said in a singsong voice. Both boys looked at him. "He said it first!!" Malik began laughing. Ryou blinked. "Said what?" Malik chuckled. "That you're a little teapot!" Ryuzaki sniggered. "So what?" Ryou blinked. "So..." Malik grinned. "You're short and fat!" Ryou slapped his forehead. "That's what short and stout MEANS!" He groaned. "Do you know the way to the palace or not?" Both nodded. "Well...can you tell me?" Ryuzaki nodded solemnly. "Will you walk a little faster?" said a whiting to a snail. "There's a porpoise close behind us, and he's treading on my Tail. See how eagerly the lobsters and the turtles all advance! They are waiting on the shingle--will you come and join the Dance?  
  
Will you, won't you, will you, won't you, will you join the Dance? Will you, won't you, will you, won't you, won't you join the Dance?  
  
You can really have no notion how delightful it will be When they take us up and throw us, with the lobsters, out to sea!" But the snail replied "Too far, too far!" and gave a look askance-- Said he thanked the whiting kindly, but he would not join the Dance. Would not, could not, would not, could not, would not join the Dance. Would not, could not, would not, could not, could not join the Dance.  
  
What matters it how far we go?" his scaly friend replied. There is another shore, you know, upon the other side. The further off from England the nearer is to France-- Then turn not pale, beloved snail, but come and join the dance. Will you, won't you, will you, won't you, will you join the Dance? Will you, won't you, will you, won't you, won't you join the Dance?" Ryou blinked. "What sort of dance is this you're talking about?" He said curiosity overruling his desire to go to the palace. "The Lobster Quadrille" Malik said dreamily. Ryuzaki sighed. "Long time since it was last..." Malik nodded. "I miss the merry days of old..." He said scratching a wing. Ryou blinked. The Malik look alike had WINGS?! "Um...well...the palace...tell me where it is? Please?" Ryuzaki sighed sadly. "I wish to dance once more...," He mumbled ignoring Ryou. Malik nodded. "Yes...perhaps our friend here could dance with us?" Ryou blinked. "Dance? Oh no...I have two left feet...really all I want is to go to the palace." He mumbled realizing he was probably going to have to dance with the two others.  
Bakura looked at Ryou; he had dark circles under his eyes from sleepless nights worrying about his hikari. It'd been three days now. "Ryou...please wake up soon...," Bakura said picking at some breakfast Yami had brought him. Anzu had been in earlier, with Mai and Malik and his yami. Before them Haga and Ryuzaki had been in...They were Ryou's friends...even if it wasn't much of a friendship.  
Ryou groaned and walked out of the hedge maze. "That was a hard maze...," He said lying down on the grass. "I'm so tired..." He mumbled looking up and noticing many MANY Honda cards running about. "Hurry! Hurry hurry!" They rushed about carrying paintbrushes and slathering paint all over blue- eyes white dragons and dark magicians. "We must paint the eyes blue!" They all shouted. Ryou blinked and stood up. "What are you doing?" The Honda cards looked at Ryou. "We got the King these statues...but the eyes are all wrong! His highness is sure to blow his top if there is even one detail wrong!" They said begining to sing "We're painting the eyes blue!" Ryou picked up a paintbrush and carefully joined in. 'If the king is as head happy as Pegasus told me...then it's only right for me to try and save them.' Ryou thought as he helped.  
  
(Ahem, I thought now would be a good place for an authors note! I was told that there was another Ryou in wonderland out there. I want to specify that I do not copy...this is the aftermath of too much sugar and watching THAT particular movie! oh ^_^ and how am I doin eh? Leave reviews and rejoice! I will be expierementing with new couplings because my creative juices flooooow! WAHOO!) 


	5. Judgement and salvation

"THE KING IS COMMING!!" A card ran through yelling, the other cards began cleaning and polishing statues of Duel monsters. "Hurry! His highness is coming!" They all shouted fearfully and began bowing. Ryou blinked as he noticed that each one was in fact a duel monsters card with Honda heads. "Oh my...I think I should drop that game..." He said watching as Jono ran out from no where and pulled a trumpet from his regal robes and began trumpeting away. "Ahem" Jono said loudly. "His Royal Highness, the King of Games!" Ryou blinked as Yami, dressed in pharaoh clothing stepped out and inspected the statues. "Someone has been painting my statues..." He mumbled wiping blue from a Dark magician's eyes. The cards near Ryou cringed. Yami walked over to Ryou. He frowned. "Who brought in THIS statue?" He said looking at Ryou. "Oh...n-no I'm not a statue!" Ryou said shyly.  
  
Pegasus' warning had frightened him quite a bit. "Ohh..." Yami said looking at him "Do you play games?" Ryou blinked. "Um...no I'm not very - -" Yami clapped his hands. "Wonderful! We will play a game of quick- drawn duel monsters in an hour!" He said turning on his heel. Ryou stared. "How do you play that?"  
  
Ryou listened as the Honda's explained. It was a game played with a deck of 10 cards shuffled all monsters. Who ever drew the most powerful monsters would win. But the catch was you could only have two, six or more star monsters. The rest had to be basic summon monsters. Ryou nodded and picked a deck, as Yami picked his. "Good luck." Yami said smiling and drawing a card.  
  
Ryou had somehow managed to beat the King, and REALLY regretted doing so. "You have cheated!" The King shouted. "Off with his head!" Ryou fell backwards out of his chair. "You can't do that! Not without a fair trial! I didn't cheat!" Ryou sputtered and stood back up. "Fine..." Yami growled. "A trial at once!" He yelled. The Honda cards began running about bumbling and smashing into each other. Ryou groaned as he stood before Yami on a pedestal. "You are charged with cheating in a duel monsters game! How do you plead?" Ryou grumbled. "Not guilty!" He said annoyed at the sham of a court case. "What proof do you have that you didn't cheat?" Yami said tapping his fingers boredly on the gavel. Ryou blinked. "How can I possibly prove I didn't cheat?" Yami nodded. "Exactly, its because you did!" Ryou shook his head. "I did not!"  
  
"OFF WITH HIS HEAD!" Yami yelled as he swung his gavel down, but just before it hit, a red blur flew past and then the gavel was gone. "He didn't cheat!" A voice said from behind Ryou. It was the Hatter and the door mouse. "He couldn't have done it!" Yami frowned. "Have you proof?" Bakura smiled and walked over to Ryou, holding the gavel. "Of course we do! He was celebrating his unbirthday with US! He couldn't have possibly cheated!" Bakura said smiling. "Isn't it YOUR unbirthday your highness?" Yugi said cheerfully. Yami blinked. "Why...yes it is." He said thoughtfully. Bakura and Yugi both grinned at each other. "A VERY merry unbirthday to you!" They sang the familiar song. Ryou sighed. Mokuba looked up at him as the two merry makers distracted the king. "You...can leave." He yawned. "Oh...well that's nice...how?" Mokuba pointed to a small heart shaped hedge. "Oh..." Mokuba nodded.  
  
Bakura stopped merrymaking to walk over to Ryou. "Hey..." He said ears drooping. "You're...leaving aren't you?" He said looking more hurt than when they had parted ways the first time. "Well...I need to go home...," Ryou said feeling bad. "Do you have to?" Bakura said sadly, beginning to fidget with his ears. "You could stay with me...and we could celebrate unbirthdays...and explore and everything!" He said trying to convince Ryou it was a better idea to stay. Ryou frowned. "But...I have friends who will worry if I stay...," Bakura looked down. "I finally found my destiny...and it leaves me so quickly!" He sniffled. Ryou blinked. "Me?" Bakura nodded. "I realized it after you left. So we followed you, because the dormouse said there would come a time when you would need our help." He mumbled.  
  
Ryou frowned. "Oh..." He suddenly felt terrible. "I could teach you all about holidays and you could teach me all about things that I don't know...we could talk an explore...and maybe meet the mome raths." Ryou smiled a little. "I wish I could stay...all those things sound so lovely...but...I have someone I need to take care of too." Bakura looked up and Ryou noticed a single tear slide down the face of his friend. "Oh...no please don't cry...," Ryou said hugging the hare. "Please?" Bakura sniffled. "I don't want to say goodbye again...," Ryou smiled a little. "Then don't...no "goodbye"s...no "farewell"s and no "so long"s...those all seem like forever. How about we promise each other to meet again?" Ryou said giving Bakura one more hug. "Maybe in another dream...or perhaps another time...," Bakura wiped at his tears and nodded. "Then you will come back to see me?"  
  
Ryou nodded. "I'll try...," He said smiling and batting at one of Bakura's ears. "But you have to promise to keep smiling and celebrating unbirthdays until I do." Bakura nodded. "I'll celebrate your unbirthdays too then." He said hugging Ryou tight. Mokuba shook his head. "Hurry..." He mumbled yawning. Bakura nodded. "Yeah...you'd better go...before I go back on our promise and begin crying again...," Ryou nodded and ran towards the door. "Don't ever forget me!" Bakura yelled after him, letting two more tears slide down his cheeks.  
  
Ryou groaned and opened an eye. He looked to his left, vision still blurry. "Ugh...yami?" He said smiling and reaching over to hug his sleeping yami. Bakura opened an eye. "Ryou!" he said and hugged him tightly. "I was so worried!" Ryou winced a bit. "What happened?" He asked not sure how he'd managed to get into a hospital. "You hit your head in the attic." Ryou blinked. It was all comming back to him. "Oh my...I hope I didn't break anything." Bakrua smiled. "No, the doctors said you were fine." Ryou wrinkled his nose. "No no I meant father's things!" Bakura chuckled. "You're more important than that old junk!" Ryou smiled a bit. "Thank you...Have you been neglecting your sleep? You're a mess...," Ryou said shaking his head and smiling more peacefully. "You know that you're supposed to SLEEP!" Ryou half scolded. Bakura nodded. "I was worried...," Ryou chuckled.  
  
Ryou was sent home that evening. He was still a bit weak, but he managed. He ordered out for pizza and sat curled up next to Bakura while munching on a piece. Bakura yawned and finished his piece before leaning his head on Ryou's shoulder lightly. "What did you do while you were sleeping so long?" He mumbled before sneaking his hikari a light kiss. "Nothing much." Ryou said smiling. "The doctors DID say there was nothing wrong with my mind right?" Bakura nodded. "Why?" Ryou sighed happily and smiled. "I was just curious...," Ryou mumbled slipping into a warm slumber with his yami right there beside him.  
  
(Awww ^_^ erm dont hurt me! I didnt purposely make Bakura sad...ok...well maybe a bit.. DONT FORGET TO REVIEW!! ^_^ err...tanks (and yes it is TANKS! I like it like that ^_^ heh) wheeee!) 


	6. Hello Bakura

Ryou smiled as he peeked around a tree at the familiar table. There sat the Mad hatter and the March hare, celebrating as usual...but the hare seemed less interested in the celebration. "Aww...c'mon Hare, he said he'd be back!" Yugi said patting Bakura on the head. "I know Hatter..." Ryou shook his head. Mokuba yawned and strolled out to the table. He cleared his throat a bit.  
  
"A boat, beneath a sunny sky  
  
Lingering onward dreamily  
  
In an evening of July --  
  
Children three that nestle near,  
  
Eager eye and willing ear,  
  
Pleased a simple tale to hear --  
  
Long has paled that sunny sky:  
  
Echoes fade and memories die:  
  
Autumn frosts have slain July.  
  
Still he haunts thee, phantomwise, Ryou moving under skies  
  
Never seen by waking eyes. Children yet, the tale to hear,  
  
Eager eye and willing ear,  
  
Lovingly shall nestle near.  
  
In a Wonderland they lie,  
  
Dreaming as the days go by,  
  
Dreaming as the summers die:  
  
Ever drifting down the stream --  
  
Lingering in the golden gleam --  
  
Life, what is it but a dream?"  
  
Ryou smiled. Yugi clapped. "That was simply dreadful Dormouse!" He cheered tipping a teacup and drinking to the lovely poem. Bakura nodded. "Utterly horrid..." he mumbled drinking as well. Mokuba yawned and sat down in an empty seat. Ryou walked up behind Bakura. "I thought you promised to make merry while I was away?" he said batting at one of Bakura's floppy ears from behind him. Bakura's ears perked up. "Ryou?!" He said turning around and tackling him. "I missed you!" Ryou smiled. "Well I absolutely loved being away from you." Bakura grinned wider. "You're simply horrible!" He said pulling Ryou up and offering him a chair. "A merry unbirthday to us ALL!" Bakura said picking up a teacup and raising it in mock toast. Yugi nodded, his hat falling into his face and Mokuba was fast asleep on the table. Ryou picked up a teacup. "A very merry unbirthday to you!" He sang along with the two wonderland friends he had made, whilst he slept in the arms of his yami, who was having a rather strange dream that he was wearing bunny ears and drinking at a table with Yugi, Ryou and Mokuba...  
  
AN: I just couldn't help it! I cant leave the cute image of bakura with bunbun ears all sad like that...heh...well ^_^ Thats it! TADA! well...yeah...I tried to be original...but I just dun know...Alice in wonderland is copyrighted to its writer an such...Yu-Gi-Oh to its...the plot? well..I suppose the ORIGINAL parts (such as watching the stars with the hare/Bakura) is mine! Dont stealie...^_^ tanks for readin! Review! 


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